Black Solstice
by PrettyLittleLiar
Summary: What if Edward had lost control in Biology class? Bella is changed and becomes a Cullen, but soon gets curious about the Volturi. She meets Heidi soon after & together they travel to Volterra. What happens when she meets the irresistible and sexy Alec? AU
1. Woman In The Mirror

**BellaPOV:**

"_Bella," my mom said to me-the last of a thousand times-before I got on the plane. "You don't have to do this."_

_My mom looks like me, except with sort hair and laugh lines. I felt a spasm of panic as I stared at her wide, childlike eyes. How could I leave my loving, erratic, harebrained mother to fend for herself? Of course she had Phil now, so the bills would probably get paid, there would be food in the refrigerator, gas in her car, and someone to call when she got lost, but still… _

"_I _want_ to go," I lied. I'd always been a bad liar, but I'd been saying this lie so frequently lately that it sounded almost convincing now. _

"_Tell Charlie I said hi."_

"_I will."_

_I'll see you soon," she insisted. "You can come home whenever you want-I'll come right back as soon as you need me."_

_But I could see the sacrifice in her eyes behind the promise._

"_Don't worry about me," I urged. "It'll be great. I love you, mom."_

_She hugged me tightly for a minute, and then I got on the plane, and she was gone._

_It's a four-hour flight from Phoenix to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles, and then an hour drive back down to Forks. Flying doesn't bother me; the hour in the car with Charlie, though, I was a little worried about that._

_Charlie had really been fairly nice about the whole thing. He seemed genuinely pleased that I was coming to live with him for the first time with any degree of permanence. He'd already gotten me registered for high school and was going to help me get a car._

_But it was sure to be awkward with Charlie. Neither of us was what anyone would call verbose, and I didn't know what there was to say regardless. I knew he was more than a little bit confused by my decision-like my mother before me, I hadn't made a secret of my distaste for Forks. _

_When I landed in Port Angeles, it was raining. I didn't see it as an omen-just unavoidable. I'd already said my goodbyes to the sun._

_Charlie was waiting for me with the cruiser. This I was expecting, too. Charlie is Police Chief Swan to the good people of Forks. My primary motivation behind buying a car, despite the scarcity of my funds, was that I refused to be driven around town in a car with red and blue lights on top. Nothing slows down traffic, like a cop._

_Charlie gave me an awkward, one-armed hug when I stumbled my way off the plane._

"_It's good to see you, Bells," he said, smiling as he automatically caught and steadied me. "You haven't changed much. How's Renee?" _

"_Mom's fine. It's good to you, too, Dad." I wasn't allowed to call him Charlie to his face._

_I had only a few bags. Most of my Arizona clothes were too permeable for Washington. My mom and I had pooled our resources to supplement my winter wardrobe, but it was still scanty. It all fit easily into the trunk of the cruiser._

* * *

_Eventually we made it to Charlie's. He still lived in the small, two-bedroom house that he'd bought with my mother in the early days of their marriage. Those were the kind of days their marriage had-the early ones. There, parked in on the street in front of house that never changed, was my new-well, new to me- truck. It was a faded red color, with big, rounded fenders and a bulbous cab. To my intense surprise, I loved it. I didn't know if it could run, but I could see myself in it. Plus, it was one of a kind those solid iron affairs that never gets damaged-the kind you see at the scene of an accident. Paint unscratched, surrounded by the pieces of the foreign car it had destroyed. _

"_Wow, Dad, I love it! Thanks!" Now my horrific day tomorrow would be just that much less dreadful. I wouldn't be faced with the choice of either walking two miles in the rain to school or accepting a ride in the Chief's cruiser. _

"_I'm glad you like it," Charlie said gruffly, embarrassed again. _

_It took only one trip to get all my stuff upstairs. I got the west bedroom that faced out over the front yard. The room was familiar; it had belonged to me since I was born. The wooden floor, the light blue walls, the peaked ceiling, the yellowed lace curtains around the window - these were all a part of my childhood. The only changes Charlie had ever made were switching the crib for a bed and adding a desk as I grew. The desk now held a second-hand computer, with the phone line for the modem stapled along the floor to the nearest phone jack. This was a stipulation from my mother, so that we could stay in touch easily. The rocking chair from my baby days was still in the corner.  
_

_There was only one small bathroom at the top of the stairs, which I would have to share with Charlie. I was trying not to dwell too much on that fact.  
_

_One of the best things about Charlie is he doesn't hover. He left me alone to unpack and get settled, a feat that would have been altogether impossible for my mother. It was nice to be alone, not to have to smile and look pleased; a relief to stare dejectedly out the window at the sheeting rain and let just a few tears escape. I wasn't in the mood to go on a real crying jag. I would save that for bedtime, when I would have to think about the coming morning.  
_

_Forks High School had a frightening total of only three hundred and fifty-seven - now fifty-eight - students; there were more than seven hundred people in my junior class alone back home. All of the kids here had grown up together - their grandparents had been toddlers together. I would be the new girl from the big city, a curiosity, a freak.  
_

_Maybe, if I looked like a girl from Phoenix should, I could work this to my advantage. But phisically, I'd never fit in anywhere. I __should__ be tan, sporty, blond - a volleyball player, or a cheerleader, perhaps - all the things that go with living in the valley of the sun.  
_

_Instead, I was ivory-skinned, without even the excuse of blue eyes or red hair, despite the constant sunshine. I had always been slender, but soft somehow, obviously not an athlete; I didn't have the necessary hand-eye coordination to play sports without humiliating myself - and harming both myself and anyone else who stood too close.  
_

_When I finished putting my clothes in the old pine dresser, I took my bag of bathroom necessities and went to the communal bathroom to clean myself up after the day of travel. I looked at my face in the mirror as I brushed through my tangled, damp hair. Maybe it was the light, but already I looked sallower, unhealthy. My skin could be pretty - it was very clear, almost translucent-looking - but it all depended on color. I had no color here.  
_

_Facing my pallid reflection in the mirror, I was forced to admit that I was lying to myself. I wasn't just physically that I'd never fit in. And if I couldn't find a niche in a school with three thousand people, what were my chances here?  
_

_I didn't relate well to people my age. Maybe the truth was that I didn't relate well to people, period. Even my mother, who I was closer to than anyone else on the planet, was never in harmony with me, never on exactly the same page. Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain.  
But the cause didn't matter. All that mattered was the effect. And tomorrow would be just the beginning._

_I didn't sleep well that night, even after I was done crying. The constant __whoos__hing of the rain and the wind across the roof wouldn't fade into the background. I pulled the faded old quilt over my head, and later added the pillow, too. But I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, when the rain finally settled into a quieter drizzle.  
_

_Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the claustrophobia creeping up on me. You could never see the sky here; it was like a cage._

_

* * *

__Breakfast with Charlie was a quiet event. He wished me good luck at school. I thanked him, knowing his hope was wasted. Good luck tended to avoid me. Charlie left first, off to the police station that was his wife and family. After he left, I sat at the old square oak table in one of the three unmatching chairs and examined his small kitchen, with its dark paneled walls, bright yellow cabinets, and white linoleum floor. Nothing was changed. My mother had painted the cabinets eighteen years ago in an attempt to bring some sunshine into the house. Over the small fireplace in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room was a row of pictures. First a wedding picture of Charlie and my mom in Las Vegas, then one of the three of us in the hospital after I was born, taken by a helpful nurse, followed by the procession of my school pictures up to last year's. Those were embarrassing to look at - I would have to see what I could do to get Charlie to put them somewhere else, at least while I was living here.  
_

_It was impossible, being in this house, not to realize that Charlie had never gotten over my mom. It made my uncomfortable.  
_

_I didn't want to be too early to school, but I couldn't stay in this house anymore. I donned my jacket - which had a feel of a biohazard suit - and headed out into the rain.  
_

_It was just drizzling still, not enough to soak me through immediately as I reached for the house key that was always hidden under the eaves by the door, and locked up. The sloshing of me new waterproof boots was unnerving. I missed the normal crunch of gravel as I walked. I couldn't pause and admire my truck again as I wanted; I was in a hurry to get out of the misty wet that swirled around my head and clung to my hair under my hood.  
_

_Inside the truck, it was nice and dry. Either Billy or Charlie had obviously cleaned it up, but the tan upholstered seats still smelled faintly of tobacco, gasoline, and peppermint. The engine started quickly, to my relief, but loudly, roaring to life and them idling at top volume. Well, a truck this old was bound to have a flaw. The antique radio worked, a plus that I hadn't expected.  
_

_Finding the school wasn't difficult, thought I'd never been there before. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that it was a school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Forks High School, made me stop. It looked like a collection of matching house, built with maroon-colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically. Where were the chain-link fences, the metal detectors?  
_

_I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading FRONT OFFICE. No one else was parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get directions inside instead of circling around in the rain like an idiot. I stepped unwillingly out of the toastly truck cab and walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I took a deep breath before opening the door.  
Inside it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front. There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, red-haired woman wearing glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel overdressed.  
_

_The red-haired woman looked up. "Can I help you?"  
_

_"I'm Isabella Swan," I informed her, and saw the immediate awareness light in her eyes. I was expected, a topic of gossip no doubt. Daughter of the Chief's flighty ex-wife, come home at last.  
_

_"Of course," she said. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for. "I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school." She brought several sheets to the counter to show me  
_

_She went through my classes for me, highlighting the best route to each on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign, which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped, like Charlie, that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back as convincingly as I could.  
_

_When I went back out to my truck, other students were starting to arrive. I drove around the school, following the line of traffic. I was glad to see that most of the cars were older than mine, nothing flashy. At home I'd lived in one of the few lower-income neighborhoods that were included in the Paradise Valley District. It was a common thing to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot. The nicest car here was a shiny Volvo, and it stood out. Still, I but the engine as soon as I was in a spot, so that the thunderous volume wouldn't draw attention to me.  
_

_I looked at the map in my truck, trying to memorize it now; hopefully I wouldn't have to walk around with it stuck in front of my nose all day. I stuffed everything in my bag, slung the strap over my shoulder, and sucked in a huge breath. I can do this, I lied to myself feebly. No one was going to bite me. I finally exhaled and stepped out of the truck.  
_

_I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walked to the sidewalk, crowded with teenagers. My plain black jacket didn't stand out, I noticed with relief.  
_

_Once I got around the cafeteria, building three was easy to spot. A large black "3" was painted on a white square on the east corner. I felt my breathing gradually creeping toward hyperventilation as I approached the door. I tried holding my breath as I followed two unisex raincoats through the door.  
The classroom was small. The people in front of me stopped just inside the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks. I copied them. They were two girls, one a porcelain-colored blonde, the other also pale, with light brown hair. At least my skin wouldn't be a standout here.  
_

_I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He gawked at me when he saw my name - not an encouraging response - and of course I flushed tomato red. But at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing me to the class. It was harder for my new classmates to stare at me in the back, but somehow, they managed. I kept my eyes down on the reading list the teacher had given me. It was fairly basic: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner. I'd already read everything. That was comforting... and boring. I wondered if my mom would send me my folder of old essays, or if she would think that was cheating. I went through different arguments with her in my head while the teacher droned on.  
_

_When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, a gangly boy with skin problems and hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk to me.  
_

_"You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?" He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.  
_

_"Bella," I corrected. Everyone within a three-seat radius turned to look at me.  
_

_"Where's your next class?" he asked.  
_

_I had to check in my bag. "Um, Government, with Jefferson, in building six."  
_

_There was nowhere to look without meeting curious eyes.  
_

_"I'm headed toward building four, I could show you the way..." Definitely over-helpful. "I'm Eric," he added.  
_

_I smiled tentatively. "Thanks."  
_

_We got our jackets and headed out into the rain, which had picked up. I could have sworn several people behind us were walking close enough to eavesdrop. I hoped I wasn't getting paranoid.  
_

_"So, this is a lot different than Phoenix, huh?" he asked.  
_

_"Very."  
_

_"It doesn't rain much there, does it?"  
_

_"Three or four times a year."  
_

_"Wow, what must that be like?" he wondered.  
_

_"Sunny," I told him.  
_

_"You don't look very tan."  
_

_"My mother is part albino."  
_

_He studied my face apprehensively, and I sighed. It looked like clouds and a sense of humor didn't mix. A few months of this and I'd forget how to use sarcasm.  
_

_We walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym. Eric walked me right to the door, though it was clearly marked.  
_

_"Well, good luck," he said as I touched the handle. "Maybe we'll have some other classes together." He sounded hopeful.  
_

_I smiled at him vaguely and went inside._

_

* * *

__The rest of the morning passed in about the same fashion. My Trigonometry teacher, Mr. Varner, who I would have hated anyway just because of the subject he taught, was the only one who made me stand in front of the class and introduce myself. I stammered, blushed, and tripped over my own boots on he way to my seat.  
_

_After two classes, I started to recognize several of the faces in each class. There was always someone braver than the others who would introduce themselves and ask me questions about how I was liking Forks. I tried to be diplomatic, but mostly I just lied a lot. At least I never needed the map.  
_

_One girl sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish, and she walked with me to the cafeteria for lunch. She was tiny, several inches shorter than my five feet four inches, but her wildly curly dar hair made up a lot of the difference between our heights. I couldn't remember her name, so I smiled and nodded as she prattled about teachers and classes. I didn't try to keep up.  
_

_We sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends, who she introduced to me. I forgot all their names as soon as she spoke them. They seemed impressed by her bravery in speaking to me. The boy from English, Eric, waved at me from across the room._

_It was there, sitting in the lunchroom, trying to make conversation with seven curious strangers, that I first saw them.  
_

_They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away from where I sat as possible in the long room. There were five of them. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them. They weren't gawking at me, unlike most of the other students, so it was safe to stare at them without fear of meeting an excessively interested pair of eyes. But it was none of these things that caught, and held, my attention.  
_

_They didn't look anything alike. Of the three boys, one was big - muscled like a serious weight lifter, with dark, curly hair. Another was taller, leaner, but still muscular, and honey blond. The last was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. He was more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be on college, of even teachers here rather then students.  
_

_The girls were opposites. The tall one was statuesque. She had a beautiful figure, the kind you saw on the cover of __Sports Illustrated__ swimsuit issue, the kind that made every girl around her take a hit on her self-esteem just by being in the same room. Her hair was golden, gently waving to the middle of her back. The short girl was pixie like, thin in the extreme, with small features. Her hair was a deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction.  
_

_And yet, they were all exactly alike. Every one of them was chalky pale, the palest of all the students living in this sunless town. Paler than me, the albino. They all had very dark eyes despite the range in hair tones. They also had dark shadows under those eyes - purplish, bruise-like shadows. As if they were all suffering from a sleepless night, or almost done recovering from a broken nose. Though their noses, all their features, were straight, perfect, angular.  
_

_But all this is not why I couldn't look away.  
_

_I stared because their faces, so different, so similar, were all devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful. They were faces you never expected to see except perhaps on the airbrushed pages of a fashion magazine. Or painted by an old master as the face of an angel. It was hard to decide who was the most beautiful - maybe the perfect blond girl, or the bronze-haired boy.  
_

_They were all looking away - away from each other, away from the other students, away from anything in particular as far as I could tell. As I watched, the small girl rose with her tray - unopened soda, unbitten apple - and walked away with a quick graceful lope that belonged on a runway. I watched, amazed at her lithe dancer's step. till she dumped her tray and glided through the back door, faster than _

_I would have thought possible. My eyes darted back to the others, who sat unchanged.  
_

_"Who are __they__?" I asked the girl from my Spanish class, whose name I'd forgotten.  
_

_As she looked up to see who I meant - though already knowing, probably from my tone - suddenly he looked at her, the thinner one, the boyish one, the youngest, perhaps. He looked at my neighbor for just a fraction of a second, and then his dark eyes flickered to mine.  
_

_He looked away quickly, more quickly than I could, though in a flush of embarrassment I dropped my eyes at once. In that brief flash of a glance, his face held nothing of interest - it was as if she had called his name, and he'd looked up in involuntary response, already having decided not to answer.  
My neighbor giggled in embarrassment, looking at the table like I did.  
_

"_That's Edward and Emmett Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen; they all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife." She said this under her breath.  
_

_I glanced sideways at the beautiful boy, who was looking at his tray now, picking a bagel to pieces with long, pale fingers. His mouth was moving very quickly, his perfect lips barely opening. The other three still looked away, and yet I felt he was speaking wuietly to them.  
_

_Strange, unpopular names, I thought. The kinds of names grandparents had. But maybe that was in vogue here - small town names? I finally remembered that my neighbor was called Jessica, a perfectly common name. There were two girls named Jessica in my History class back home.  
_

_"They are... very nice-looking." I struggled with the conspicuous understatement.  
_

_"Yes!" Jessica agreed with another giggle. "They're all __together__ though - Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And they __live__ together." Her voice held all the shock and condemnation of the small town, I thought critically. But, if I was being honest, I had to admit that even in Phoenix, it would cause gossip.  
_

_"Which ones are the Cullens?" I asked. "They don't look related..."  
_

_"Oh, they're not. Dr. Cullen is really young, in his twenties or early thirties. They're all adopted. The hales __are__ brother and sister, twins - the blondes - and they're foster children."  
_

_"They look a little old for foster children."  
_

_"They are now, Jasper and Rosalie are both eighteen, but they've been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She's their aunt or something like that."  
_

_"That's reall kind of nice - for them to take care of all those kids like that, when they're so young and everything."  
_

_"I guess so," Jessica admitted reluctantly, and I got the impression that she didn't like the doctor and his wife for some reason. With the glances she was throwing at their adopted children, I would presume the reason was jealousy. "I think that Mrs. Cullen can't have any kids, though," she added, as if that lessed their kindness.  
_

_Throughout all this conversation, my eyes flickered again and again to the table where the strange family sat. They continued to look at the walls and not eat.  
_

_"Have they always lived in Forks?" I asked. Surely I would have noticed them on one of my summers here.  
_

_"No," she said in a voice that implied it should be obvious, even to a new arrival like me. "They just moved down two years ago from somewhere in Alaska."  
_

_I felt a surge of pity, and relief. Pity because, as beautiful as they were, they were outsiders, clearly not accepted. Relief that I wasn't the only newcomer here, and certainly not the most interesting by any standard.  
_

_As I examined them, the youngest, one of the Cullens, looked up and met my gaze, tis time with evident curiosity in his expression. As i looked swiftly away, it seemed to me that his glance held some kind of unmet expectation.  
_

_"Which one id the boy with reddish-brown hair?" I asked. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye, and he was still staring at me, but not gawking like the other students had today - he had a slightly frustrated expression. I looked down again.  
_

_"That's Edward. He's gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He doesn't date. Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking enough for him." She sniffed, a clear case of sour grapes. I wondered when he'd turned her down.  
_

_I bit my lip to hide my smile. Then I glanced at him again. His face was turned away, but I thought his cheek appeared lifted, as if he were smiling, too.  
_

_After a few more minutes, the four of them left the table together. They were all noticeably graceful - even the big, brawny one. It was unsettling to watch. The one named Edward didn't look at me again.  
_

_I sat at the table with Jessica and her friends longer than I would have if I'd been sitting alone. I was anxious not to be late for class on my first day. One of my new acquaintances, who considerately reminded me that her name was Angela, had Biology II with me the next hour. We walked to class together in silence. She was shy, too._

_When we entered the classroom, Angela went to sit at a black-topped lab table exactly like the ones I was used to. She already had a neighbor. In fact, all the tables were filled but one. Next to the center aisle, I recognized Edward Cullen by his unusual hair, sitting next to that single open seat.  
_

_As I walked down the aisle to introduce myself to the teacher and get my slip signed, I was watching him surreptitiously. Just as I passed, he suddenly went rigid in his seat. He stared at me again, meeting my eyes with the strangest expression on his face - it was hostile, furious. I looked away quickly, shocked, going red again. I stumbled over a book in the walkway and had to catch myself on the edge of a table. The girl sitting there giggled.  
_

_I'd noticed that his eyes were black - coal black.  
_

_Mr. Banner signed my slip and handed me a book with no nonsense about introductions. I could tell we were going to get along. Of course, he had no choice but to send me to the one open seat in the middle of the room. I kept my eyes down as I went to sit by __him__, be wildered by the antagonistic stare he'd given me.  
_

_I didn't look up as I set my book on the table and took my seat, but I saw his posture change from the corner of my eye. He was leaning away from me, sitting on the extreme edge of his chair and averting his face like he smelled something bad. Inconspicuously, I sniffed my hair. It smelled like strawberries, the scent of my favorite shampoo. It seemed an innocent enough odor. I let me hair fall over my right shoulder, making a dark curtain between us, and tried to pay attention to the teacher.  
_

_Unfortunately the lecture was on cellular anatomy, something I'd already studied. I took notes carefully anyway, always looking down.  
_

_I couldn't stop myself from peeking occasionally through the screen of my hair at the strange boy next to me. During the whole class, he never relaxed his stiff position on the edge of his chair, sitting as far from me as possible. I could see his hand on his left leg was clenched into a fist, tendons standing out under his pale skin. This, too, he never relaxed. He had the long sleeves of his white shirt pushed up to his elbows, and his forearm was surprisingly hard and muscular beneath his light skin. He wasn't nearly as slight as he'd looked next to his burly brother.  
_

_The class seemed to drag on longer than the others. Was it because the day was finally coming to a close, or because I was waiting for his tight fist to loosen? It never did; he continued to sit so still it looked like he wasn't breathing. What was wrong with him? Was this is normal behavior? I questioned my judgment on Jessica's bitterness at lunch today. Maybe she was not as resentful as I'd thought.  
It couldn't have anything to do with me. He didn't know me from Eve.  
_

_I peeked up at him one more time, and regretted it. He was glaring down at me again, his black eyes full of revulsion. As I flinched away from him, shrinking against my chair, the phrase __if looks could kill__ suddenly ran through my mind._

_**(Twilight chapter 1 pgs 4-24. Copyright © Stephanie Meyer)**_

_I turned away and went back to paying attention to the board. Suddenly there was a breeze of wind and something latched onto my neck. I gasped and grasped the cold, pale arms that were wounded tightly around my neck. Oh God, oh God, oh God. I'm gonna die. My vision was starting to turn blurry and all around me I heard screams of horror from my fellow students. I felt my blood slowly drip down my neck and the fiend at my neck drank from my bloodstream greedily. I opened my mouth to scream for help but I couldn't say a peep. The arms around my neck were squeezing the breath out of me and I took in choked deep breaths of oxygen as I fought to say conscience. _

_All of a sudden the pressure around my neck was released and I collapsed to the ground. The last thing I saw before everything went blank was the bronze haired boy and his burly brother._

* * *

Pain. Excruciating pain was all I felt for what seemed like months. It was like torture, the flames licked greedily inside my bloodstream, leaving nothing but ash in its path. I would occasionally whimper every now and then and when I did I felt a cool hand press up against up my forehead in a motherly gesture. It helped eased the horrible burning sensation a little.

I almost jolted in surprise as my heart started to beat like mad in my chest, hammering against my rib cage so hard I feared it would break. The pounding of my heart doubled and acting, like a black whole, was sucking all of the fire into it. I felt the flames rush away from my toes, hands, fingers and my ears. With one final flinch my body stopped moving. I took a deep breath and was shocked at what I smelt. I smelt freesias, vanilla and peppermint. The scents were overwhelming my senses and without hesitation my eyes snapped open on their own.

Everything was so bright and defined. I could see every dust mite in the air; see every crack in the ceiling and the tiny wholes in the wooden frame of the door. I slowly sat up and 7 pairs of golden eyes snapped towards me. I waited for the blush to come but it never did. That's strange. I lifted up my hand and felt my cheek. All I felt was smoothness, it kinda felt like porcelain.

"Bella, are you alright?"

I looked up at what looked like the oldest male. He had golden blonde hair, a handsome face and calm gold eyes.

"Who are you?" I gasped and my hand raced over to my neck. Was that me that just said that? My voice sounded like wind chimes, it sounded beautiful.

"My name is Carlisle and this is my wife Esme," He motioned towards a petite woman with wavy auburn hair and kind gold eyes. She gave me a smile and a small wave. "This is my daughter Alice and her mate Jasper."

The pixie like girl I saw at lunch waved and smiled so big I thought her face was about to tear. Jasper was kinda cute with short honey blonde curls and guarded gold eyes. He looked southern.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He said in a southern drawl. Ooh, a cowboy.

"We're going to be best friends! I can already see it." Alice squealed and bounced up on her tiny toes.

I just nodded my head.

"This is Emmett and his mate Rosalie,"

Rosalie, the one with a body to die for and killer looks just shot me a glare. I got confused, but pushed it aside. Emmett gave me a goofy grin that showed off two adorable dimples that I couldn't resist but smile at. His smile was_ that_ contagious.

"And finally, my son Edward."

The bronze haired boy looked up as Carlisle said his name. His eyes locked on mine for about twenty seconds and all I could see in those golden depths was guilt and…fear?

"I'm sorry." He said suddenly.

"Um…what?" I asked

"I'm sorry." He repeated more seriously this time.

"For what? You haven't done anything wrong." I said

"Yes I have." He murmured so low I didn't think I was supposed to hear it.

I gave Carlisle a questioning look. He turned towards Alice and nodded his head. She skipped out of the room only to reappear seconds later, a huge floor length mirror in her tiny hand. She set it down by her side and raised her hand towards me. I hesitantly took it and the Cullens seemed to get tense.

"Don't worry guys. She's not going to hurt me." Alice said teasingly. They relaxed a little.

"What are you doing, Alice?" I asked and faced her as she guided me over to the mirror.

"Just look." She pointed to the mirror and I did what she said.

I was shocked to see the reflection of a beautiful girl staring back at me. Her hair was a rich chocolate color and seemed to shine under the fluorescent lights. Her lips were full, pouty and the color of rose petals. Her body was completely curvy with full breasts and a toned stomach. But was scared me was the eyes. They were a bright ruby color. Come to think of it, the more I stared at them the more beautiful they seemed to get. They reminded me of rubies.

"Is that me?" I asked shocked as I saw the girls lips move in time with mine.

"Yep." Alice said

Hesitantly I raised my hand and watched entranced as the beautiful girl in the mirror mimicked my movements. I reached up and touched my cheek, the girl doing the same movement.

"Bella, there is something we must tell you." Carlisle's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"What is it?" I asked and faced him.

"We're vampires, Bella. And you are one now, too."

* * *

**All rights go to Stephanie Myer. I own nothing! I hope you liked it. Sorry for the semi-boring beginning, but my mom thought it would be a good idea to do it.**

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	2. A Mile A Minute

**Bella****POV:**

_Two weeks later..._

Things have been going well with Cullens. Alice, as she had predicted, became my best friend. Emmett became the over protective brother I never had due to the fact that I was an only child. Jasper and I were on speaking terms, but we weren't really all that close. Esme was like a second mother to me. Carlisle treated me as if I was his own daughter. Rosalie, of course, still resented me fore some reason. As to the reason why, I had no clue. And lastly there was Edward. We hadn't spoken to each other since we talked after my change.

I could remember that event crystal clear.

_Flashback:_

_"Bella, there is something we must tell you." Carlisle's voice interrupted my thoughts._

_"What is it?" I asked and faced him._

_"We're vampires, Bella. And you are one now, too."_

_I gave a small giggle, "You're joking right? Please tell me I'm being pranked. I mean, you can't be serious. Come on, vampires?" My laughs died down once I saw the looks on their faces. Serious faces. Oh shit, they weren't kidding._

_"We aren't playing around, Bella. We're really vampires and you're one also." Alice said._

_Me, a vampire? What about Charlie and Renee? Oh God, I just moved here and next thing I know I'm a blood-sucking vampire. Why couldn't I just be a normal kid like the students at school? Wait- the kids in the classroom saw everything! But, who was the one responsible for turning me anyway?_

_"Carlisle?" I asked._

_"Yes, Bella?"_

_"How did I become a vampire in the first place? I mean I know from the old legends that you're supposed to be bitten and in the second you're a vampire, but what was that burning that I felt?" I asked._

_"Well Bella, the only way to turn into one of our kind is to be bitten and a vampire's venom must enter the bloodstream in order for the transformation to take place. Once inside the body, the venom will travel through your veins, killing all of your human cells and shutting down your organs. The transformation takes three days of excruciating pain until it has completed a full cycle through your entire body. Over the years I just so happened to come with a solution to numb the pain a little. Unfortunately, I did not have enough to time to give you the morphine seeing as though the venom had spread too much and your skin was already beginning to harden. As for the person who's responsible for your change, I think he will want to confess soon," he said while looking directly at Edward._

_Edward's whole frame stiffened and he ducked his head._

_Carlisle sighed, "Whatever you have seen or heard in the legends and movies about us is not true. We do not burn in the sunlight, we do not sleep in coffins, in fact we don't sleep at all. We do not die from being staked; our skin is impenetrable. The only human things we can do are blink, breathe and talk. But, unlike humans we have increased speed, strength and agility. Some of us are brought into the immortal with a gift or power and some don't. But I believe that we all bring something with us from our human life."_

_"Do I have a gift?" I asked._

_"That we don't know yet, but Alice, Jasper and Edward have gifts. Alice can see the future, jasper can manipulate emotions and Edward can read minds. But it seems he cannot read yours. I would like to do some research on that," he said._

_"Wow, I didn't know being a vampire could be this cool," I said. Everyone chuckled at my comment._

_"Being a vampire also has its disadvantages."_

_Everything went quiet as Rosalie spoke. It was the first time she actually talked since I had woken up._

_"What do you mean?" I asked her._

_"So, Edward didn't tell a thing before he damned you to this eternal life?" She asked incredulously as she snorted. "Us females can't get pregnant. Our ovaries are frozen for the rest of this goddamn life. But the guys just have to be so damn lucky! They can still produce sperm! How unfair is that to us girls?"_

_Her breathing was starting to become heavy and her eyes turned a coal black, the same coal black eyes Edward had that day in biology._

_"Rose, calm down," Emmett said as he placed his giant hand on her shoulder._

_Rosalie finally got her breathing under control and she marched out of the room. Emmett followed after her._

_"Well, this is awkward," Alice said._

_"You think?" Edward replied darkly._

_"No I don't think, I know," She retorted._

_"Where's Carlisle and Esme?" I asked as I just realized they were no longer in the room._

_"Hmm….they probably just went hunting." Alice shrugged._

_Just then I heard a loud roar and a wail. I flinched from the power of them both._

_"Um…I guess they aren't hunting after all," Alice said._

_Just then Jasper said, "I have to hunt. My throat is starting to kill me."_

_"I'll go with you, Jazz."_

_And then those two were gone as well, leaving me all alone with Edward._

_"So…" My voice trailed off as I tried to start up a conversation._

_"I did it." He said abruptly._

_"Did what?"_

_"I bit you. I'm the one who damned to this miserable life. And I'm sorry," he said._

_"Wait that was you?" I asked._

_He nodded his head cautiously, "Yes, I did."_

_"But, why?"_

_"Because your blood was calling to me. I simply couldn't resist. The whole time during class I thought of hundreds of different ways I could kill you. And when you looked over at me and that blush appeared on your cheeks, I lost every ounce of control I had and attacked you. I knew you couldn't tell it was me, but you knew that you were going to die. Jasper said he could feel your fear from the next building. Luckily Emmett managed to get me away from you in time, but if he hadn't come and….I can't even bear to think about it. But, I almost murdered you. You're my singer, Bella. That means your blood calls to me, seduces me in so many ways that another human's can't. And I'm sorry for destroying every chance you have of living a normal human life, to grow old, get married and have kids. This is all my fault." He started to sob as he placed his face in his hands._

_Slowly and quietly I tiptoed out of the room, where Edward had now burst into ear shattering sobs. I covered my ears and walked downstairs to the family room where I sat down and watched TV, the sounds of the movie I was watching blocking out Edward's annoying cry._

_End Flashback_

"Bella?"

I turned away from the strange wooden carving I was staring at to see Carlisle standing near the stairs.

"Yeah, Carlisle?"

"I was wondering if you would like to know of my past."

"Really?" I asked bewildered.

"Yes, I feel it is necessary for you to know a little bit more about me."

"Then I would love to." I said.

"Shall we?" He rushed over to his office door and opened it with vampire speed. It all took less than 3.7 seconds. I had been counting.

With one last look at the wooden antique above my head I walked through the door. His office was simple, the walls a deep cream color. The furniture was made out of cherry wood. His desk was pretty big with all kinds of books and paperwork stacked on top of each other. He motioned towards a shelf of hundreds of pictures and I followed him over to it.

"What would you like to know?" he asked me.

I gave him a mischievous smile, "Everything."

"Very well then." He cleared his throat and I turned all of my attention to him.

"I was born in London somewhere around the sixteen-forties; our time wasn't very accurate back then mind you. It was just before Cromwell's rule. My father was an Anglican pastor. My mother had died giving birth to me and my father raised me alone. And as the Protestants came into power my father was deeply joyful of my persecution of Roman Catholics and many other religions. He also believed in the reality of evil. He even led hunts for witches, werewolves and soon vampires. My father had killed many innocent people, but paid no mind to it. The real creatures were out there and his main goal was to kill them all. But my father soon grew old and weak and he decided to place me in charge of the raids. At first I was a disappointment to my people for I did not know where these creatures had existed. But I was persistent and much wiser than my father. It was not long before I had discovered a coven of vampires living in the sewers underneath the city. They would come out at night to feed. My people gathered their torches and their pitchforks and together we waited where I had once seen a vampire exit onto the street. It did not take that long for one to finally emerge. He was very old and weak, most likely because of hunger. He shouted out in Latin and soon the rest of the coven appeared. I was no thinking at the time, I could only think of killing those horrible creatures. The vampire had already killed three of my men before he had jumped me. I felt a sharp sting on my neck and it was then that I knew he had bitten me. So I did the only thing I could, I ran. I couldn't let my people see that I was infected because I knew they would have no choice but to kill me. I managed to get away and hid in a cellar and buried myself under hundreds of rotten potatoes. For three days I burned and suffered from great agony, until my transformation was complete.

"Once I had known what I had become I tried to destroy myself. I jumped from great heights, I tried to drown myself, and every single one was a failure. I started to starve myself; I refused to take an innocent human life because of my selfish needs. For months I had hidden in caves and abandoned buildings. But one day a herd of deer just so happened to pass by my hiding place in a cave on the other side of my hometown. I was mad with thirst so I did not think before I pounced one of them and drank it dry. It was then that I discovered a new way of life. Over the next few hundreds years I studied to become a doctor. I know what you might be thing, why would a blood thirsty vampire want to work in a hospital," he chuckled as did I, "But soon I learned to perfect my control and now I am almost one hundred percent resistant to the scent of blood."

"How hard was it? I mean when you found out what you were and you knew that you couldn't speak to any human you once knew because they would kill you no matter if they were your best friend or not." I asked softly.

"It was very painful, especially knowing I could no longer see Veronica." He replied solemnly.

"Who's Veronica?" I asked

"A beautiful girl that I had fallen in love with. We grew up together; my family and hers always thought that we would marry someday. And we did. I was finally happy, but that's when I was put in charge of the raid the night I was changed. I haven't seen her since and I never will seeing as though that was three hundred and sixty two years ago," His chuckle was dry and not full of humor.

"You must've really loved her," I commented

"I did, maybe more than I love Esme, my own wife."

"I'm very sorry for your loss." I gently placed my hand on his shoulder and gave him a small smile of understanding.

"Thank you," He pulled me into a hug and placed a kiss on my forehead once we pulled back.

"Anytime old man." I joked, earning a small laugh from him.

* * *

"Hey Bells?"

"Yeah Em?" I asked my energetic "brother".

"Wanna go hunting. I heard it's officially the end of hibernation." He said enthusiastically.

I grinned, "Definitely."

Together we headed outside to the balcony. He was the first one to jump off, landing gracefully on the balls of his feet. I followed suit and we took off to the forest. We started our own little race; he had the lead for the first few minutes before I started catching up to him using my newborn strength. I slowed down to a halt once I caught the whiff of a grizzly. Emmett and I gave each other grins before he started to head towards a dark cave. Three minute and eighteen roars later Emmett came running out, his shirt torn to shreds, showing off his nicely toned chest.

"Again Emmett? That's like the fifth shirt this week!" I said incredulously.

He responded with an adorable grin on his face. I just smirked and shook my head at his childish behavior.

"Just to let you know the momma's still in there. I only got three of her cubs, she's pretty pissed off." He said

"Good, 'cause I call dibs on her." I said and walked towards the dark cave.

I could still see very clearly thanks to my night vision. In the corner of the dark space were the corpses of three baby cubs. Suddenly I felt an impact against the side of my head as a roar echoed throughout the cave. I fell to the ground and mumbled profanities under my breath. Thank God Esme wasn't here; I would've been in _so_ much trouble. I crawled back up to my feet and turned to face Momma Bear. She was snarling furiously at me. I growled back and she backed up a little. I crouched down just as she stood up on her hind legs. Her dark head was about a foot from touching the roof of the cave. I pounced and we both landed on the ground. Her head hit the floor and I heard it crack. I guess I had just fractured her skull. She clawed nonstop at me and I dodged every single one of her petty attempts. Deciding it was time to end thing I grabbed her head in my hands and twisted it to an odd angle, smiling as I heard a satisfying snap. She went limp under me and I didn't waste anytime before sinking my razor sharp teeth into her soft neck. The smell was a little off, but the blood was so warm and soothed the dull ache in the back of my throat. Once I had sucked the remaining drops of blood left in the bear's system I got off of her and strode outside where Emmett was waiting, casually leaning against an old oak tree.

"About time," He grumbled under his breath.

"Shut up!" I playfully smacked his arm.

He grinned, "Edward just called, said he wants to talk to you."

"What for?" I asked

"Does it look like I know? All he told me was to tell you to meet him at the house." He shrugged

"Okay then. I guess I'll see you later." I said

"Yeah, yeah. Bye." He said disappeared into the forest, no doubt looking for another grizzly bear to irritate.

I turned and headed back home, my feet carrying me a mile a minute.

* * *

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	3. Scented Candles

**BellaPOV:**

Everything in the house was dead silent as soon as I stepped through the door. That was strange. The lights were dimmed and there was a path of cream candles that smelled like warm vanilla. I followed them all the way to the stairs where the vanilla candles had been replaced with red ones that smelt like mouthwatering strawberries, they smelled exactly like me. I followed the trail until it stopped right in front of Edward's door. I politely knocked, waiting for a response.

"Come in," A velvet voice said.

I turned the knob and pushed open the door. I gasped at what I saw. The room was alit with twinkling lights; roses covered the floor and every object in sight. There was soft, melodic music playing in the background. The sight was beautiful enough to take my breath away. Edward immediately stood up at my entrance and brushed his hand on his jeans, staring at me nervously.

"What's all this?" I asked him.

"A celebration." He answered

"A celebration? What exactly for?" I asked

"Your two week anniversary." He said

"Oh really? My two week birthday?" I giggled playfully.

He gave a small musical chuckle, "I guess so. It was Alice's idea by the way."

"That's really sweet of her." I commented

"Yeah, I guess so. Shall we?" He motioned towards a blanket spread out across a clear space on the floor. It was surrounded by light blue candles. The flame slightly swayed as I sat down and tucked my feet under my legs. The scent of the ocean blew my way and I felt calm at the soothing smell.

"Comfortable?" Edward joked

"Very," I replied, "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I really don't know. How about we talk about you." He offered

"I'm not really all that interesting." I said and ducked my head, wishing I could blush again.

"Are you blushing!" Edward suddenly asked

"What?" I looked up.

"You're blushing. Look for yourself." He pointed towards the left side of his room, the one with glass covering the wall.

Sure enough there was a light red tint in my cheeks. I brushed the pads of my fingertips against my cheek and marveled at the warmth.

"Okay, that's really freaky." I said

"You think?" He said

"How is this even possible?" I asked, turning back towards him.

"I think I should go call Eleazar." He said

"Who's that?"

"Eleazar is from the Denali coven, they're practically family to us. They live in Alaska. Which is not far from here to a vampire." He got out his cell phone as he spoke and punched in a few numbers.

"_Hello_?" A soft feminine voice answered on the fourth ring.

"Hi Carmen, it's Edward. I need to know if Eleazar is there."

"_Sure, here he is right now. I'll put him on for, just wait a second_."

I then a heard a deep male voice say over the line, "_What is it you need, Edward_?"

"I need your help, Eleazar."

"_What's the problem_?"

"I lost control of my thirst about two weeks and ended up turning a girl named Bella Swan into one of our kind."

"_Get to the point, Edward._" I cringed at Eleazar's harsh demand as did Edward.

"Well, I need your help determining her power."

"_Anything else I need to know?_"

"Yes, I need you to know that she just blushed."

"_Blushed? But how is that possible?_"

"That's exactly why I need you here."

"_Alright then, I'll be there in an hour or so._"

Edward sighed, "Thank you, Eleazar. You do not know how grateful I am."

"Anytime, Edward, anytime." Eleazar replied before the line went dead.

Edward sighed and closed his phone, putting it back in the front pocket of his jeans.

"So?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"He's on his way, now what were we talking about before we got distracted?" He asked

"Nothing!" I answered a little too quickly.

"Oh, that's right. We were about to talk about you." He smirked

"No we weren't! I have no clue what you're talking about!" I exclaimed and hid my face behind my hands.

"Please Bella. Just tell me a little bit. It doesn't have to be your whole life story." He begged and pouted.

"Fine," I sighed as I gave in, "I was born here in forks and was raised by my mother and father until they divorced a few months after I was born. My mother got custody of me and Charlie gave me up without a fight. My mother and I moved to California and we lived there until I was about five years old. We then moved to Phoenix and I lived there until I was seventeen and then I decided to come spend some time with my dad. And that's where she met Phil; he's a minor league baseball player. They soon fell in love and they soon got very _loud_." I chuckled at the memory when I was only sixteen and I caught them in the middle of things.

Edward laughed along with me.

"So yeah, my life was pretty boring." I said

"Really, cause I found it very interesting." Edward said

"Yeah right." I said and rolled my eyes.

"Seriously, I did. It was very…..entertaining." The look in his eyes made my stomach churn.

"Um…yeah." I said awkwardly.

"I'm sorry," He said.

He's been saying a lot ever since he attacked me in biology class two weeks ago.

"For what?" I asked him confused.

"For this," He said and kissed me.

* * *

**Sorry I haven't been updating that much. It's been raining a lot over here in Florida and the lightening has been messing with my Internet connection a lot. **

**P.S. I know it's kind of a short chapter, but I didn't have much time to write seeing as though there's supposed to be a big thunder storm coming this way soon. I can already see the dark clouds forming outside of my window! Ah! I just heard thunder!**

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	4. Italy Here We Come

**BellaPOV:**

I froze as Edward's ice cold lips touched my own. They were so cold, too cold for my liking. His lips moved forcefully against my own and I responded half-heartedly. This kiss didn't seem right. I must admit he was a good kisser, but there was no spark or fireworks like you usually see in so many chick flicks. This was like a brother-sister kiss; it wasn't full of any romantic feelings. I pulled back and shook my head. Edward opened up his eyes and all I saw was love and lust in them.

"I love you Bella," He breathed out.

"I'm sorry." I choked on a sob and ran out the room.

Just as I made it downstairs the front door opened and Alice and Jasper entered the house. Alice stopped dead once she saw me.

"What happened?" She immediately asked.

"I can't…I have to go." I pushed past her and Jazz and made my way into the forest, not once looking back.

I ran for hours, enjoying the feeling of the wind in my hair and the rain drenching my clothes. I felt free. The sky was starting to fade to a dark blue color; the sun disappearing over the horizon creating a beautiful pink and orange hew. I stopped once I came to a cliff and sat down, my feet dangling off the edge.

Do I love Edward?

_No_

Do I feel anything romantically towards him?

_No._

Edward was like a brother to me and I couldn't stand to see him hurt. I was just as close to Edward as I was with Emmett. The only difference is that Emmett's married, is happily in love and isn't a virgin. Someplace in my heart I knew I was missing something. I had a loving family, a peaceful life and not to mention a bottomless bank account. I had everything, but how come I feel that there's something important missing from my life?

"Who are you?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin as I heard the soft voice, obviously feminine. I stood up on the cliff and turned to face a beautiful vampire with waist-length mahogany hair and crimson eyes.

"I'm Bella. Bella Swan. Who are you?" I asked

"Heidi. Heidi Volturi." She replied nonchalantly.

Volturi. The word seemed to ring a bell. I remember hearing that name somewhere. Wait, Carlisle! He lived with the Volturi for quite some time. I recalled the memory of him telling me about them.

_Flashback:_

"_Who're the Volturi?" I asked Carlisle._

"_They are considered vampire royalty. They rule the vampire world. They created the laws about a thousand years ago and they are the ones who punish those who do not follow them. They're the largest coven in vampire history and are probably the oldest. Everyone fears them, they fear their power. But most of all they fear Aro himself." He said_

"_Who's this Aro person?" I asked_

"_He is one of the three kings and he is also one of my closest friends. I lived with the Volturi for a couple of centuries before departing to live my own life."_

"_But, why does everyone fear them? I mean can't they just all get together and destroy the Volturi. I mean, they can't be that big and powerful." I asked him._

"_It's not that simple. The Volturi consists of over two hundred guards, all of which have been training for hundreds of years. Then you have your elite guard, the ones with the powers. First, there is Demetri. He is a very powerful tracker, probably the best in the world. Then, you have Felix. Felix doesn't really have a power, he just has brute strength that matches up to that of ten newborns which is ten times stronger than Emmett. And finally you have the Witch Twins, Alec and Jane. They are the most feared out of the whole coven. Jane's power is to inflict mental pain, but it is not real pain. She creates an illusion inside your head that makes your nerves feel like you're in pain when in truth you're not. Then there's Alec, his ability is to paralyze you. He can take every single one of your senses away in about twenty seconds flat. His record is about fifteen-point-seven seconds last time I checked."_

"_Wow, I guess it's really not that easy after all. But how many people can Alec take down at once?" I asked, loving the way Alec's name rolled off of my tongue. Something about his name made my body feel all tingly inside. _

"_He can take down a maximum of twenty or possibly even more now since I haven't seen him in about two hundred years. But he can only use his gift for a short period of time. His body will get weak if he uses his power for too long." He said_

"_Wow." I said speechless. I guess I know why other vampires are so scared of the Volturi. They're lethal. _

"_Yes, wow indeed."_

_End Flashback_

"Hello? Hello? Hello! Bella!"

I snapped back to reality to see Heidi with an impatient look on her pretty features. Her hands were on her hips and she was repeatedly tapping her sandal clad feet against the mushy, wet ground.

"About time," She grumbled and flipped a couple of strands of her gorgeous hair over her shoulder, "I've been trying to talk to you for the past six minutes. You just totally blanked out."

"Alec." I murmured and smiled, loving the way his name sounded.

"What about Alec? How do you even know about him? You're just a newborn." Heidi asked

"Carlisle told me." I stated

"Carlisle. As in Carlisle Cullen?" She asked

I nodded my head.

"Interesting," She said with a smirk, "Well, how do you feel about a little road trip?"

"A road trip? Where?" I asked

"To _Italia_." She replied with a thick Italian accent.

"You mean Italy?" I asked in disbelief.

"No, I mean Chicago, duh I mean Italy!" She exclaimed

"Are you sure?" I asked

"Uh-huh. You and me are totally going to Italy. Then you can meet my family." She said

"But I hardly even know you." I pointed out.

"So? I don't even know you that well either and I'm already asking you to come with me to Italy." She said

"True, alright I'll go."

_So that I could finally meet the almighty Volturi coven, _I added in my head.

Suddenly my phone buzzed, indicating that I had a new text. I read it.

_Good luck in Italy! We'll miss you and Edward feels really bad about kissing you. He hopes you'll forgive him._

_Btw, 'he' is so cute!_

_P.S. You know who I'm talkin 'bout!_

_~Alice~_

That's weird, who's this 'he'?

"Sometimes I will never truly understand you Alice Cullen." I mumbled under my breath and followed Heidi.

She led me through the thick plantation for hours, maybe even days, until we finally reached some sort of club.

"What are we doing here?" I asked

"To get some food, duh." She said as if it were the most obvious question in the world.

"Where are we exactly?" I asked her.

"We're near the borderline of Columbia, and then we'll drive over to Brazil where we can catch the 2:00 flight to Volterra." She answered and stopped once we reached a very expensive looking car. It was sleek and the black paint shined under the moonlight. She got out a pair of keys from her designer jeans pocket and unlocked the door. She climbed in and soon came out with two bags in her hand.

"Here, put this on. It'll help attract them more." She threw one of the bags at me. I opened it up and inside was a skanky looking dress that was _really_ short.

"There is no way I'm wearing this thing!" I said

"Yes, you will. Don't make me force it on you." Her eyes flashed an intimidating black and I instantly felt scared.

What? She was a _Volturi_. She had connections.

"Fine." I grumbled and stripped down to my panties and bra. Luckily no one was looking this way.

I pulled the dress over my head and smoothed all of the wrinkles out. It was pretty cute in a sluttish kind of way. It was a low halter top that stopped mid-thigh and clung to me like a second skin. My only insecurity was the bust line. It was so tight and my tits were almost on full display.

"Damn girl, you look smokin' hot." Heidi wolf-whistled and threw me a pair of black stiletto heels. I slipped them on with ease. I twirled around in circles a couple of times, testing to see of I would fall. I didn't even trip or stumble once. Being a vampire has its perks, like being extra graceful.

"It's show time." Heidi said as she adjusted the strap on her midnight blue dress. It was low cut and stopped just above her knee. She had on a pair of Jimmy Choo heels to top it all off.

"So what are we eating tonight?" I asked casually after the bouncer let us in.

"Them." She said and pointed to two guys surrounded by a ton of strippers and blonde-haired whores. All of their dresses were a blinding hot pink color. The guys looked alright.

"We're going to eat humans?" I asked incredulously.

"Of course we are. What else is there?' She asked playfully.

"Animals?" I suggested

"Gross, I guess the Cullens really got to you." She said

"I'm not going to take an innocent human's life!" I shouted over the music.

"So what? They're just humans, not only that but do they look innocent to you!" That shut me up.

"Exactly, and stop saying we're taking an innocent human's life! Humans call us blood-sucking murders when they seriously need to look at themselves in the mirror! They murder each other everyday! They rape each other everyday! They're the ones who are the heartless murders! Not us!" She snapped and took off towards the group.

I sighed, knowing what she said was true. I managed to catch up with Heidi and together we made our way towards the two guys and the group of sluts. They turned as they heard our approach. The two guys' eyes darkened with lust as their eyes traveled across mine and Heidi's bodies. I felt thoroughly disgusted but kept my face free of any expression. The blonde bimbos sneered at us and Heidi gave them the bird I had to stifle my laugh as I watched their mouths drop open and their eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets.

"What the hell are you doing over here?" One of the blonde bitches asked us in an annoying nasal-like voice. Her hair, obviously dyed, was blonde but I could tell that her roots were a dark brown color. Her skin was too tanned it looked almost orange.

"To kill you, Barbie Bitch." Heidi mumbled under her breath at vampire speed so that only I could hear it. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing.

"You're such a creep." Miss Barbie Bitch said.

"You're the creep, Barbie Bitch." Heidi said

Barbie snorted and twirled a piece of her fake hair between her fingers, "Bite me."

"Gladly." Heidi replied and grabbed Barbie's hand, dragging out back. I quickly grabbed one of the males and followed Heidi, leaving the others shocked and confused.

I slammed the guy up against the wall as he shook with fright, watching as Heidi drank greedily from Barbie Bitch. I laughed in his face and watched with satisfaction as a wet stain appeared on his jeans, running from his crotch down to his ankle.

"You just pissed yourself. Pussy." I growled in his ear and snapped his neck.

The first drop of his sweet blood sent me into a wild frenzy. I swear I almost ripped out his throat just so I could drink more than one gulp at a time. Once I was done I dumped the body into the dumpster and Heidi followed suit. She grabbed out a lighter from her purse. I went over to a corner with a stack of newspaper and threw all of the paper over the bodies. Heidi lit them up and the dumpster went up in flames. We both smiled at our work and headed back to the car.

"So, how was it?" She asked as we both buckled in.

"Delicious." She smiled at my response.

"I knew you were gonna say that."

The rest of the car ride was silent.

* * *

After a couple of minutes we stopped for gas. I got out of the car and made my way inside, trying to pass time. I walked down the isles, bored out of my mind. I froze as I felt a pair of eyes on me. I turned around to see a fat white old man checking me out. I looked down to see I was still wearing my outfit from the club. I ignored him and walked back outside where Heidi was putting away the gas pump. I sensed the guy following me.

"Let's go, Heidi." I said as I passed by her.

"Why?" She asked

"Him." I nodded my head in the white guy's direction. She followed me gaze and her eyes rested on the guy. He gave us a toothy grin, revealing rotting black teeth. We both shuddered and hopped into the car. Heidi revved the engine and took off.

"That guy was such a creep." I said as we hit the highway.

"Ya think?" She said

"I don't think, I know." I replied

"Well at least he's gone, it's not like he could've done anything to us right?" She asked

"I know, but I still was kinda scared. He kinda reminded me of my human life." I shuddered

"Don't worry, I understand perfectly fine." She reassured me.

"You know what Heidi." I said

"What?" She asked, tearing her eyes from the road to look at me.

I smiled, "You're probably the best friend I could ever have."

"Aw, thanks Bella. You know you're really not that bad yourself." She said and gave me a one-armed hug. I returned it.

Just for the heck of it, I rolled down my window and stuck my head out; loving the way the wind blew my hair in almost every direction. Heidi had to at least be going about 200 mph.

"Woohoo!" I shouted to the night sky, "Italy here we come!"

* * *

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	5. Alec And The Volturi

**BellaPOV:**

"_Flight 105 to Volterra, Italy is now boarding."_

"That would be us." Heidi said and together we boarded the plane.

"Can I listen to your IPod?" I asked her about three hours into the flight.

"Sure, just don't break it. I'll kill you if you do, and that's a promise." she reached into her purse and handed me her silver IPod.

I put the ear buds into my ears and turned the little dinky thing on. I scrolled down her list of music until I came across Chris Brown's "Transform Ya". I listened to that a couple of times before getting bored and switching to a different song by Ke$ha. This went on for the rest of the ride until the battery finally decided to die right in the middle of "Take It Off". I handed it back to Heidi and she put it away. I stared out the window as hundreds of puffy white clouds past by. They looked just like cotton candy, except the only difference is that cotton candy doesn't float in the air. I sighed and pulled out my phone. I turned it on to see that I had 13 missed calls, 10 of them were voicemails left by Edward.

"_Bella…I'm sorry, please come home soon."_

"_Bella, please, I miss you. I'm sorry about what I said."_

"_Bella! Why are you going to Italy! Are you trying to get yourself killed? Please just come back so we can talk this through. We need you here and will you please explain why you're with Heidi. Of all people you just decided to leave with her instead of asking us so that we could go with you and make sure you're safe. God Bella, sometimes you could really be so stupid. Just please come home, soon."_

That was latest one. I received it about an hour ago. Thank god I had my phone turned off. Edward was seriously starting to get on my nerves. I am not stupid and Heidi really isn't that bad. I shut off my phone and settles back into my seat, wishing I could still fall asleep.

* * *

After the plane landed Heidi led me over to a huge limousine. A vampire got out of the drivers seat and opened up the passenger door for us. We both got in and soon we were off. I stared at the beautiful landscapes in awe. Forks and Phoenix had nothing on Volterra. The grass was so green and the water was so clear it was see through. We drove by markets and stores and I watched all the humans in jealousy. It was a sunny day and luckily the windows were darkly tinted. I laughed as I saw little kids playing tag and running around, shouting things in Italian.

Suddenly the car came to a stop and I glanced out the windshield to see a huge, medieval looking castle. It had to at least be five stories taller than the Eifel Tower.

"Like it?" Heidi asked me.

"Very." I replied, earning a huge smile from her.

"I love it too." she said and got out of the car, me following right behind her.

We walked through a glorious, brightly lit hallway until we made it to what looked like a lobby. Behind a counter was a beautiful human girl with skin the color of mocha, sparkling green eyes and dark hair. She looked up as we entered.

"Heidi." she smiled politely.

"Gianna." Heidi replied curtly and continues towards a set of double doors.

Two vampires that were standing by them nodded their hellos and opened up the doors for us. On the other side was a different kind of reception room. There was a boy on the other side of the room, standing behind a mahogany desk. He looked up, probably sensing our presence and my breath caught in my throat. He was absolutely gorgeous; no words could describe his God-like looks. His hair was a dark shade of brown and ended just below his ears, spilling across his forehead just above his eyebrows. He had prominent cheekbones, a perfectly straight nose and full pouty lips just begging to be kissed. I shivered as his crimson irises roamed over my body. Thank God I was still wearing my clubbing dress.

"Heidi, it's good to see you again," he greeted her in sexy, deep voice that made my legs feel like jelly, "And you must be the famous Bella." He grinned and I nearly melted right there, he was that irresistible.

"And you must be Alec, I've heard so much about you." I replied with a flirty smile.

"I see, and what is it you supposedly know about me?" he said with another panty-dropping smile that made my stomach do a million flips. He was flirting back and I loved it.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." I said with a sultry smirk.

"Sorry for ruining this little lovey-dovey moment, but I believe Aro is waiting for us. We wouldn't want t keep him waiting now would we?" Heidi said

"No, we shouldn't. Shall we?" he said and motioned to another set of double doors. This time they were twice the size of the other ones and were made out of ancient wood that looked hundreds of years old, yet they were still in good shape.

"Yes, we shall." Heidi said and Alec pushed open the doors.

There sitting on huge thrones were three cloaked figures. One had snow white hair and wore a sour expression, another had pin straight hair that ended just shy of his shoulders and his face was full of absolute boredom. Then there was the man sitting on the largest throne in the middle, he had slightly wavy hair and his expression was one full of excitement. All of their eyes were a milky red color.

"Ah, Heidi, dear, you've returned at last!" he exclaimed and sat up from his seat and glided towards us. I couldn't believe how this man could walk with much more grace than Alice.

He carefully grabbed Heidi's hand and placed a soft kiss on the back of it. She giggled.

"Yes I have master." she responded

He stood up and his gaze soon landed on me. I felt myself captivated by his hazy ruby eyes.

"And who might this be?" he asked as his eyes traveled dangerously traveled up and down my figure.

Alec gave him a warning growl and Aro looked up at him, surprise evident on his features.

"Alec, is something wrong?" he asked

"No master." Alec replied through clenched teeth.

"Very well then. Marcus?" Aro held out his hand towards the vampire who looked like he could care less.

Marcus stood up and reluctantly gave Aro his hand. Aro's fingers lightly traced over Marcus's palm.

"What's he doing?" I asked Heidi in a hushed tone.

"Using his gift, obviously. He can read every single thought you've ever had with the touch of his hand." she answered

"Oh."

"Remarkable," Aro said as he dropped Marcus's hand and glanced between Alec and me, "The bond is so strong."

_What is he talking about?_

"He's talking about you and Alec's bond." Heidi answered my thoughts.

"What did you just say, Heidi?" Aro asked

"Nothing, just answering Bella." she replied

"But I didn't say anything." I said

"But, I just heard your voice in my head." she shot back.

"Those were my thoughts." I said

"Well, this is quite interesting," Aro said, "Bella; care to do me a favor?"

"Okay." I said

"Think of something, it can be anything and imagine projecting it towards me." he instructed

"Alright." I said and closed my eyes.

I thought of my favorite flowers, tulips, and sort of pushed it towards Aro's direction where a strange yellow light glowed from beneath my eyelids.

"Fascinating."

I opened my eyes to see Aro with his eyes closed like me and a smile across his face. His eyes snapped open and he looked at me in wonder.

"Tulips are truly beautiful, my dear." he commented

I had to fight back the gasp that threatened to slip out, but my eyes did manage to widen slightly.

"What is going on, my dear brother?" Marcus asked Aro.

"It seems Bella had the ability to project her thoughts to others." he replied

Suddenly all of their gazes were on me and I looked down, blushing like crazy. Gasps echoed throughout the room as they took in my flushed cheeks. I looked up as a gust of wind slightly blew my hair. I looked up to see Alec. He lifted up his hand and lightly caressed my flaming red cheek. Sparks flew where he touched and I couldn't hide the shiver that came.

"_Sei veramente speciale, il mio amore._" he murmured in Italian.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see a girl with blonde hair tied up in a bun glaring at me with nothing but hatred in her eyes. I couldn't care less as I stared into Alec's mesmerizing eyes. They were deep pools of emotion. I could stare into those eyes all day, but of course Aro had to ruin the moment.

"So I take it you came here to join us."

I tore my gaze from Alec to look at Aro who was patiently awaiting my answer. I could still feel Alec's eyes on me and I resisted the urge to kiss him right there in front of everyone.

"Yes I have, I have found that living off of animals is truly repulsive and I hoped you would show me the true way of this life." I said, feeling confident with my answer.

"Excellent. Welcome to the Volturi, Bella." he said

"Can you just call me Isabella instead?" I asked

"And why would that be?" he asked

"I think it's time for a change. And plus, Bella was my name in the past. I want to move on and forget about my human life since I'm not going to get it back anyways." I said

"As you wish, Isabella." he said

"Thank you, master." I said

"There is no need for you to call me that, you may address me as Aro not master. Is that clear?" he said

"Yes mast-I mean Aro." I quickly corrected my mistake, earning a couple of chuckles from the others, including Alec. His laugh was deep and musical.

_Damn, was there anything about this boy that wasn't perfect?_

"I can assure you that I am not all that perfect, _la mia stella_." Alec said, clearly amused.

Damn, I was projecting again. I growled in frustration and that just made him laugh even harder. Soon the whole guard started to join in, even the blonde.

"So, Isabella, I hear that Edward cannot read your mind." Aro said once the room got themselves under control.

"How do you know about that?' I asked

"My dear Isabella, the Volturi know everything," he said, "Oh and you do not need to worry about that little accident in biology class, we have already dealt with the humans ourselves."

I gasped, "You killed them?"

"Well, I wouldn't say kill, but for the most part yes. We always rid of others, particularly humans, who acknowledge our existence. You should no that." he said

I nodded my head.

"Alec, would you be a gentlemen and escort Isabella to her room?" Aro said

"Yes master," Alec said, "Follow me, Isabella."

I reluctantly trailed along behind him as he turned down tons of different hallways. I did my best at trying to memorize the halls and when to turn so that I hopefully wouldn't need help getting to my own room.

Alec halted in front of a set of cherry wood doors that shined a dark burgundy when the lights hit them.

"Here we are." he said and opened up the doors, holding them wide open so that I could actually see what my room looked like.

The walls were a lime green colors with a bold black stripe running along them. There was a four poster bed in the center of the room pushed alongside the center of the wall. The sheets were a light blue color as was the comforter and pillows. Beside either side of the bed were two nightstands, both with a wooden lamp on them. The floor was covered in a creamy white carpet that looked fluffy and very expensive. But what shocked me the most was the huge crystal chandelier than hung from the wall in the middle of the room. It was so beautiful and it looked so ancient and breakable. The room was absolutely perfect.

"Do you like it?" Alec asked and I spun around to see him leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest staring at me with interest. He never looked hotter.

"I love it, thanks." I said and grinned so big my cheeks were starting to hurt.

"You're very welcome, _la mia stella_."

"What does that mean?" I asked him curious.

"It means my star in Italian." he answered

"Really?" I asked

"Really." he nodded his head.

"I guess I should be going now." he continued and I suddenly felt disappointed. I really didn't wan him to leave. I wanted to keep him talking so that I could listen to his beautiful voice.

"Do you really have to?" I asked

"I'm afraid I do. I'm sorry; maybe we can talk some other time. How does tonight at 8 sound to you?" he asked

"You mean, like a date?" I asked

"Only if you want it to be." he said shyly.

"Then yes. Tonight at 8 sounds perfect." I said

"Alright then, I guess I'll see you later tonight." he winked at me before leaving, shutting the door behind him.

I fell back onto my bed with a stupid grin on my face.

I had a date with Alec Volturi! Possibly the hottest vampire to ever walk the Earth.

Without warning I started jumping up and down on my bed, making all of the pillows bounce and the sheets to get wrinkled. But I didn't even give a crap. I skipped over to my dresser and opened it up to see that it was already full. There were bootcut jeans, skinny jeans, graphic t-shirts, hoodies, a leather jacket, flare jeans, tank tops, boy shorts, sports bras, panties and so much more. I think I'm in love, well not literally.

I guess the Volturi weren't that bad after all.

* * *

**Coming up next is Bella's date with Alec! So make sure to review!**

**Happy Memorial Day!**

**Translations:**

Sei veramente speciale, il mio amore- You are very special, my love.

la mia stella- My star


End file.
